Scuba dive off Point Loma, June 28, 2014
a day for the sea slugs

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Triopha catalinae nudibranch or sea slug

fairly common to see these in San Diego

Phidiana hiltoni nudibranch

uncommon to see in San Diego, and this was a big one!

closer view of Phidiana hiltoni nudibranch

this was a show-stopper for me, and I took several photos of this sea slug.

Spanish shawl Flabellina iodinea nudibranch

common to see these in San Diego; never get tired of seeing them since they are so colorful !

Hermissenda opalescens nudibranch
cruising by cup coral and yellow sponges

Golden Gorgonian Muricea californica
with strawberry anemones at its base

the patterning and colors caught my eye

a palette of orange

sponge, cup coral, Blood Star Henricia leviuscula, & strawberry anemones

California cone Conus californicus

Big deal,... a brown snail, eh? This is the only species of cone snail in California. Many cone species are brightly colored, living in tropical seas. This non-descript cone snail is deadly, shooting a barbed harpoon out of its proboscis mouth tube into its prey, injecting a paralying poison, & then engulfing its prey whole with its proboscis mouth tube, like a python swallowing prey. It hunts & eats snails, worms, bivalves, & dead fish and dead octopus.

Hermissenda opalescens nudibranch
cruising by cup corals over blue encrusting sponges

I see these sea slugs regularly, & look for them on colorful backgrounds or in interesting settings.

Polycera tricolor nudibranch

uncommon to see these in San Diego; another show-stopper for me. I didn't realize it at the time, but this sea slug is laying eggs (!),... that lacy mass underneath its back end.

Polycera tricolor nudibranch laying eggs

I saw several of these, and took a number of photos, since I rarely see them.

Doriopsilla albopunctata nudibranch

common to see these in San Diego

Tritonia festiva nudibranch

on red gorgonian Leptogorgia chilensis
common to see these in San Diego